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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The water is too ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. club — a group
  3. root — the cause
  4. current — electric
  5. cue — for pool
  6. mate — a partner
  7. root — of a plant
  8. current — happening now
  9. club — for golf
  10. firm — decided
  11. club — for dancing
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. mate — a friend
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. root — of a word
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. cue — a signal
  19. firm — steady
  20. firm — a company
  21. current — of water
  22. mate — to breed
  23. cold — an illness
  24. cue — a hint

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com